When you beat Alabama, as Texas A&M did in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, it gets a lot of attention. And those watching saw that Manziel was the difference running, throwing scrambling … the kid is a football player.

We knew that before, but beating the Crimson Tide takes the young Aggies quarterback to the brink of legend status.

That said, Kansas State's Collin Klein has done nothing to lose the lead in this week's poll. The Wildcats just keep knocking them down.

Coming in at No. 3, Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. Six passing touchdowns in a game for an unbeaten team will do that for you.

Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o had an off week by his standards — five tackles, one interception. But the Irish won again, and playing for an undefeated team does a lot for a player's candidacy. Especially in South Bend.

Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron took a fall, but don't think for a minute that McCarron can't find his way back into the finalists.